US, Canada, EU to Review Sanctions Against Maduro Regime If There Is “Significant Progress” in Venezuela Elections Negotiations

Representatives of United States, Canada and European Union issued a statement Friday in which they said they were “ready“ to review the sanctions against Venezuela on the basis of “significant progress” in the electoral negotiations.

“We welcome the substantial and credible progress in restoring central democratic processes and institutions in Venezuela, and we are ready to review the sanctions policies on the basis of significant progress in a comprehensive negotiation “They said in relation to the possibility of sending a European mission to the country.

The joint declaration was signed by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep borrell, the United States Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Marc Garneau.

“We remain deeply concerned about the current crisis in Venezuela and its regional and global impact”they added.

The three representatives of foreign policy affirmed that the solution to this crisis “must come from own Venezuelan people through comprehensive negotiations ”, and said it should be“ a comprehensive negotiation process with specific deadlines (which restore) the country’s institutions and allow all Venezuelans to express themselves politically through credible, inclusive and transparent local, parliamentary and presidential elections ”.

In addition, they demanded “electoral conditions” in line with international standards of democracy from the local and regional elections scheduled for November 2021.

“We remain committed to addressing the grave humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and we welcome a broader agreement between all political actors in the country to allow unrestricted access to humanitarian aid, which includes food, medicine and essential COVID-19 relief supplies, ”they added.

Indeed, the technical mission of the European Union (EU) which will assess whether it is possible to deploy another observation in the upcoming local and regional elections in Venezuela, which will arrive in the Caribbean country on July 6, the National Electoral Council (CNE) reported on Friday.

“This Friday, the EU’s charge d’affaires in Venezuela, Duccio Bandini, informed the President of the CNE, Pedro Calzadilla, of the arrival on July 6 of the exploratory mission which will assess European participation in the regional and municipal elections in November.“, Said the organization via its Twitter account.

The CNE clarified that the The mission will consist of three officials and four electoral experts and will be in Venezuela until July 23. “During the meeting, held at the request of the European representative, the president of the CNE and Bandini focused on the electoral calendar for the elections of November 21, the progress of which was explained by the highest electoral authority”, added the electoral body. .

On June 21, Borrell announced the dispatch of a technical mission to assess whether it is possible to deploy another observation mission for the next local and regional elections in November, after enjoying a “Possible political opening” in the country.

“In Venezuela, there is a possible political opening”, Borrell said at a press conference following a Council of EU Foreign Ministers. “I will send a technical assessment mission to help determine whether the conditions for sending an observation mission to the November elections will be met,” he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, said on June 22 that a European Union (EU) election observation mission to regional and local elections in the Andean country would be “welcome”.

“The only body that can recognize or ignore electoral results in Venezuela is the Venezuelan people. We do not depend on any exogenous entity in Venezuela to ensure respect for the popular sovereignty of the Venezuelans ”, declared the minister during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. “However, we have always been open to observation, control and support in electoral processes”, stress.

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